Disposable ash container

ABSTRACT

A newly designed disposable ash container comprising: a base panel, a back panel, two side panels, a top panel and a open panel made from a blank of sheet material of which the inside of the container is of a noncombustible material for receiving and retaining hot embers and ash and the outside being conducive to advertising matter which is foldable for consumer packaging and easy storage and when opened to a usable position provides a substantial side opening in which to deposit ash from a fireplace and stove having an apron to catch falling ash and to cooperate in an air tight closing of the open panel securing ash for safe and clean disposal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a fireplace and stove ashcontainer, more specifically to a fireplace and stove disposable ashcontainer for receiving and disposing of ash removed from a fireplaceand stove and more specifically to a disposable ash container made froma blank of noncombustible sheet material providing for safe and cleandisposal.

[0002] The use of an ash receptacles is known in the prior art. Morespecifically, ash receptacles heretofore devised and utilized for thepurpose of retaining ashes are known to consist basically of familiar,expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding themyriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have beendeveloped for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

[0003] By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,106to Davis discloses a barbecue grill and fireplace ash cradle assembly.U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,046 to Colla discloses a portable fire pit. U.S.Pat. No. 5,694,918 to Blount discloses an ash catcher for fireplaceinsert. U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,212 to Stroud discloses a grill aerator andwaste receptacle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,625 to Landman discloses an ashcatcher grate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,476 to Rhodes, Jr. discloses anartificial log assembly including combustible log members. U.S. Pat. No.5,036,832 to Schlosser and Alden discloses an ash catcher assembly for abarbecue grill. U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,874 to Toth discloses a fireplacegrate with adjustable ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,640 to Shnack andWilson discloses a barbecue grill ash collector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,648to Blount, Exum, and Wooten discloses an ash catcher for an outsidecooker or similar article. U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,123 to Mortensen,discloses a receptacle for ash removal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,308 toJohnson discloses an ash receptacle with dust eliminator. U.S. Pat. No.4,328,895 to Jaeger discloses a disposable ash container. U.S. Pat. No.3,561,670 to Segal discloses ashtrays and like smokers receptacles. U.S.Pat. No. 3,133,690 to Lui discloses a receptacle. U.S. Pat. No.3,122,306 to Davey discloses a receptacle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,713 toElgin discloses a fire resistant pac. U.S. Pat. No. 2,432,656 to Cookdiscloses a paper envelope ash receiver. U.S. Pat. No. 2,377,665 to Bestdiscloses a fireplace ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. 2,292,377 to Howarddiscloses a folding grate. U.S. Pat. No. 1,521,204 to Rollings disclosesa grate. U.S. Pat. No. 960,174 to Higdon discloses an ash pan. U.S. Pat.No. 639,392 to Lotspeich discloses an ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. Des.382,956 to Collins discloses a fireplace ash pan. U.S. Pat. No. Des.355,566 to Stephen and Schlosser discloses a combined leg support andash catcher for an outdoor cooker.

[0004] In this respect, the disposable ash container according to thepresent invention substantially departs from the conventional conceptsand designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatusprimarily developed for the purpose of providing a means for receivingand retaining ash from a fireplace and stove for safe and cleandisposal.

[0005] Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuingneed for a new and improved disposable ash container which can be usedfor providing a means for receiving and retaining ash from a fireplaceand stove for safe and clean disposal. In this regard, the presentinvention substantially fulfills this need.

[0006] In View of the forgoing disadvantages inherent in the know typesof ash receptacles now present in the prior art, the present inventionprovides an improved disposable ash container assembly. As such, thegeneral purpose of the present invention, which will be describedsubsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improveddisposable ash container for safe and clean disposal of ash which hasall of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

[0007] Further objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of ensuing description and drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In accordance with the present invention a disposable ashcontainer for receiving and retaining ash from a fireplace and stoveproviding for safe and clean disposal. It is therefore the generalobjective of the present invention to create a cheaply made, single-usedisposable ash container.

[0009] Furthermore, the disposable ash container of the presentinvention is to be tightly closed in the area of its opening, so thatany remaining burning embers will be snuffed out due to the lack ofoxygen inside the container, and neither smoke nor ash will be able toescape from the container.

[0010] The present invention consists of a container for receiving andretaining ash from burned material in a fireplace and stove which isespecially intended for one-time use, and is constructed in the mannerof a flat-bottom bag. This flat-bottom bag consists of plastically andpreferable laminated pliable sheet material which is substantiallyimpermeable to air, and which has a material surface, at least on thesides adjacent the interior of the bag, which is substantially resistantto the heat of glowing embers.

[0011] The form and the manner in which the bag is made is not criticalfor the invention; conventional bags of various types, such as flatbottom-bags with side gussets are known in the art and are fundamentallysuitable, in which at least two side panels are laid tightly against oneanother adjacent the top edge and can be folded together to form theclosure in accordance with the present invention. The material of thebag is pliable, so that the side panels can be folded.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a strip aself-sticking adhesive is applied to the outside of the top panel. Thisadhesive strip can be provided with a removable strip of protectivematerial to prevent it from drying out.

[0013] Although the present invention is not limited to a particularkind of bag or its preparation, so that basically, any kind of bag,e.g., bags made in one piece or in a plurality of pieces and havingrectangular or polygonal bottoms, flat bags, and even tubular bags canbe used, the bag form after manufacture should be such that the bag canbe folded flat in a space-savings manner, so that the bags of thepresent invention can be offered to the consumer in compact packagescontaining a plurality of bags.

[0014] The exposed surfaces of the container and at least the outer toppanel thereof when positioned for use, may conveniently carryadvertising matter so that, in addition to its utility, its inexpensiveconstruction, safe, clean, and easy disposability, the containerconstitutes a useful advertising medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a detailed view of a folded disposable ash container.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a detailed view of an unfolded disposable ash containerin a usable position.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a closed disposable ash container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring to the drawings of FIGS. 1-3, FIG. 1 illustrates a viewof a disposable ash container 10, folded in the same manner as flatbottom paper sacks in common use consisting of a rectangular base panel12, and a cooperating top panel 14, two side panels 18, having slantedends, a back panel 16, and a open front panel 20. The two side panels18, and top panel 14, have folding creases 22, to provide for back panel16, cooperating with top panel 14, and base panel 12, in the foldedposition. Base panel 12, has a folding crease 22, providing for apron32, to be folded on top of top panel 14, for the purpose of providing asubstantially air tight closing of open front panel 20.

[0019] The disposable ash container 10, is conveniently made from ashaped blank with the top panel 14, integral with the side panels 18,which are in turn integral with portions which are overlapped and joinedto form the base panel 12, and its extensions to form the back panel 16.

[0020] Top panel 14, is shorter in length at the open end of thedisposable ash container 10, to the cooperating base panel 12, the twoside panels 18, are of the same length as the base panel 12, and slantupward to be of the same length as the top panel 14. A band of adhesive24, which is normally covered with a protective strip 26, is positionedon the top panel 14, just in from the outer open edge.

[0021] Base panel 12, FIG. 2 extended length provides for an apron 32,at the open front panel 20, to catch spilled ash while filling thedisposable ash container 10. When the ash removal is completed, theprotective strip 26, is removed from the band of adhesive 24, base panel12, and cooperating top panel 14, FIG. 3 are pressed together closingthe container's open front panel 20, providing for the apron 32, to befolded on top of cooperating top panel 14, to be secured by the band ofadhesive 24, providing for a substantially are tight closing of openfront panel 20.

[0022] Preferable the disposable ash container 10, is made of two-plysheet material of which the only ply a, which is on the inside, is madeof material such as metal foil, heat resistant plastics material web andother noncombustible sheet material, while the other ply b, is paper butequally well the container may be made wholly of noncombustiblematerials such as metal foil and heat resistant plastics material.

[0023] In use the disposable ash container 10, is opened out from itsnormal flat fold state FIG. 1 to a useable position shown in FIG. 2. Ashand debris removed from a fireplace and stove by means of an ash removaltool is placed inside the disposable as container 10, through the openfront panel 20. After completing the ash removal the disposable ashcontainer 10, open front panel 20, is tightly closed so that embers thatmay still be burning will be snuffed out due to the lack of oxygeninside the disposable ash container 10, and neither smoke or ash will beable to escape from the disposable ash container 10, providing for safeand clean disposal FIG. 3.

[0024] I do not limit myself to any particular details of constructionset forth in the specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, as the same refers to and sets forth only the embodiments ofthe invention, and it is observed that the same may be modified withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claimed as new and desiredto be secured by letters patent is as follows:
 1. A disposable ashcontainer for receiving and retaining ash made from a blank of sheetmaterial of which at least the inside of said disposable ash containeris a noncombustible material and the outside of said disposable ashcontainer conducive to advertising mater comprising a top panel integralwith two side panels which are in turn integral with portions which areoverlapped and joined to form a base panel and panel extensions joinedto form a back panel directly opposite a open front panel, said basepanel extending beyond said top panel at said open front panel end,having said two side panels of substantially the same length slantupward to be of substantially the same length as said top panel, saidbase panel able to support said disposable ash container in an openposition on a surface, said two side panels, said top panel, and saidbase panel having folding creases providing a folding means for saiddisposable ash container to be in a collapsed position, said two sidepanels, said top panel, and said base panel having said folding creasesproviding an unfolding means for opening said ash container from acollapsed position so as to be in a usable position, said two sidepanels, said top panel, and said base panel having said folding creasesproviding a substantially air tight closing means for said open frontpanel whereby ash is retained in said disposable ash container for safeand clean disposal.